The present invention relates to audio-video control systems (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cAV control systemsxe2x80x9d) which comprise a controller connected to a plurality of devices including audio-video devices (herein-after referred to as xe2x80x9cAV devicesxe2x80x9d) and having an input unit, which is manipulated to control the operation of the plurality of devices.
Already proposed is an AV control system as shown in FIG. 20 and comprising a host computer 40 connected via a device control unit 20 to a group 30 of devices such as a DVD player 31, VCR 32, LD player 33, CD player 34, TV receiver 35 and AV amplifier 37. The host computer 40 has an input-output unit, i.e., a keyboard 42, and a display 43, which are used for collectively operating the group 30 of AV devices.
The desired AV device can be caused to operate as desired using the AV control system by manipulating the keyboard 42 to select the desired AV device on a device select frame projected on the display 43, and further selectively manipulating required operating keys on a frame showing a plurality of operating keys for the selected device.
The AV control system is so adapted that when the user manipulates one contents select button among a plurality of contents select buttons which are shown on the display 43 for realizing the predetermined operations (contents) of one or more of the AV devices, the operation corresponding to the manipulated button can be performed.
However, the number of contents select buttons increases with an increase in the number of AV devices connected or in the number of different kinds of contents which can be realized, entailing the problem that each contents select button displayed correspondingly diminishes in size to present difficulty in manipulating the buttons. Furthermore, the contents select button which is manipulated frequently and the button which is manipulated seldom differ from user to user, whereas the contents select buttons to be displaced on the screen remain unchanged in kind and can not be changed as desired by the user, hence the problem that the contents select buttons are inconvenient to use.
Furthermore, the contents select buttons to be displayed on the screen are given respective names specified by the manufacturer, and the image of each button bears the specified name. Although the contents conceivable from the name differs from user to user, the name can not be changed as desired by the user. This lead to the problem that the contents select buttons are inefficient to manipulate.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to make the contents select buttons more convenient or efficient to use for use in AV control systems.
The present invention provides an AV control system which comprises a controller having connected thereto a plurality of devices including AV devices, the controller comprising an image display screen and an input unit enabling the user to perform input manipulations on the image display screen.
The controller comprises:
contents select button display means for displaying on the image display screen specified contents select buttons among all contents select buttons prepared for commanding specified one or more of the devices to perform a predetermined operation,
operation command means for commanding specified one or more of the devices to perform a predetermined operation in accordance with manipulation of one contents select button displayed by the contents select button display means,
contents arrangement frame display means for displaying in a single frame on the image display screen a plurality of first contents select buttons to be displaced by first contents select button display means and a plurality of second contents select buttons other than the first contents select buttons in accordance with manipulation of the input unit, and
contents arrangement change means operable in accordance with manipulation of the first contents select button and the second contents select button. which are displayed by the contents arrangement frame display means so that the contents select button display means and the contents arrangement frame display means display the two manipulated contents select buttons as replaced with each other.
When a plurality of contents select buttons displayed by the contents select button display means are to be changed, the input unit is first manipulated in the AV control system of the invention to display the first contents select buttons and the second contents select buttons in a single frame on the image display screen.
The contents select button (old contents select button) to be changed is then selected from among the first contents select buttons, and the contents select button (new contents select button) to be arranged anew is manipulated as selected from among the second contents select buttons. Consequently, the oil select button so far displayed by the select button display means is changed for the new select button, and the new select button so far displayed by the arrangement frame display means is replaced with the oil select button.
The new select button displayed by the select button display means is thereafter manipulated, whereby a command for operation corresponding to the select button is given to specified one or more of the devices to execute the predetermined operation.
Stated more specifically, the controller comprises: means for storing a contents arrangement table containing for each of the contents select buttons a button code for specifying the position of the select button displayed on the screen, an operation code for specifying an operation when the select button is manipulated, and button name data showing the name of the select button to be displayed on the screen, and the contents arrangement change means replaces the two manipulated contents select buttons with each other with respect to the operation codes and the button name data in the contents arrangement table.
In the contents arrangement frame showing the first select buttons and the second select buttons, therefore, the two manipulated select buttons remain unchanged in position as displayed on the screen, and the name of the button and the operation of the device to be performed when the button is manipulated in one displayed position are replaced by those in the other displayed position, and vice versa.
In a contents select frame showing the first contents select buttons only, the new select button and the name thereof are displayed at the position of the old select button displayed.
When the new select button is manipulated, the controller performs the predetermined operation based on the operation code of the new select button contained in the contents arrangement table.
The present invention further provides an AV control system of the type mentioned above including a controller which comprises:
contents select button display means for displaying on the image display screen a plurality of contents select buttons prepared for commanding specified one or more of the devices to perform a predetermined operation along with button names,
operation command means for commanding specified one or more of the devices to perform a predetermined operation in accordance with manipulation of one contents select button displayed by the contents select button display means,
name change list display means for displaying in accordance with manipulation of the input unit a list of a plurality of button names to be given to desired one contents select button among the plurality of contents select buttons, and
name change control means operable in accordance with selection of one button name from among the plurality of button names displayed by the name change list display means to replace the selected button name displayed and the button name displayed by the content select button display means with each other.
When the name of one of the contents select buttons is to be changed in the AV control system of the invention described, the select button the name of which is to be changed is selected first by manipulating the input unit, and a plurality of names to be given to the selected button are displayed as listed.
The desired name to be given anew to the selected button is selected from the button name list. As a result, the button name (old name) so far displayed by the select button display means for the select button concerned is changed for the button name (new name) displayed by the name change list display means, and the button name (new name) displayed by the name change list display means is changed for the button name (old name) displayed by the select button display means.
The select button given the new name by the select button display means is thereafter manipulated, whereby a command for operation corresponding to the select button is given to the specified one or more of the devices to execute the predetermined operation.
Stated more specifically, the controller comprises:
means for storing a contents arrangement table containing for each of the contents select buttons a button code for specifying the position of the select button displayed on the screen, an operation code for specifying an operation when the select button is manipulated, and button name data showing the name of the select button to be displayed on the screen, and
contents name table store means having stored therein a plurality of button names for each of the contents select buttons, and
the name change control means causes the arrangement table storing means and the name table store means to transfer the button names therein to each other.
Accordingly, the select button the name of which is to be changed remains unchanged in its displayed position on the contents select frame and in the operation of the device to be performed when the button is manipulated, and only the name to be indicated on the button is changed.
When the select button bearing the new name is manipulated, the controller executes the predetermined operation based on the operation code of the select button contained in the contents arrangement table.
The AV control system of the present invention is so adapted that even if the number of devices connected thereto or the number of different kinds of contents which can be realized increases, only the contents select buttons which are manipulated frequently are selected and shown on a frame for giving operation commands. This feature makes it possible not only to display the select buttons in a sufficient size but also display only the favorite contents select buttons only, so that the select buttons are usable with greater ease and convenience.
Furthermore, the name of each contents select button displayed on the contents select frame for giving an operation command can be selected from among a plurality of names. This enables the user to select a particular name which appears most appropriate to the contents of operation. The contents select buttons can therefore be manipulated with an improved efficiency.